Liu Xiang's value reaches 80 mln yuan

Chinanews, Beijing, July 25 - Liu Xiang, the new pop idol of sports in China, is also one of the most valuable athletes in the country. Before the 2004 Olympics, Liu's commercial value was 350 thousand yuan, but now, the figure should be at least 80 million yuan.
Liu has become the faces of 5 famous brands. "Though I can't tell you how much Liu get exactly from these 5 brands, the average price should break 10 million yuan. In fact, different brands usually pay different amounts of money to ask Liu to be their face. Sometimes, the price is based on when the ads are broadcast, too," said Wang Dawei, who is in charge of commercial development at the Chinese Athletic Association.
It is estimated that each brand pays Liu some 14 million yuan to ask him to be its face. However, the figure might increase to 20 million yuan if Liu wins the title for the 120-m hurdle race in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.